Body for a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

A body of a motor vehicle, particularly a passenger car of the sports car type, equipped with a windshield frame, a rollover bar system and a removable roof covering an area between the windshield frame and the rollover bar system. The roof on one side follows a convex shaping course of the windshield frame and, on the other side, follows a shaping course of the rollover bar system such that, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the passenger car, the roof has two lateral roof sections and a center roof section which extends between the lateral roof sections in the manner of a crease-type indentation shaped in the direction of the vehicle occupant compartment.

This application claims the priority of German application 102 54 133.7,filed Nov. 20, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporatedby reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a body for a motor vehicle, particularly apassenger car of the sports car type, according to the preamble of Claim1 having a removable roof and a rollbar system.

A body of a passenger car known from German Patent Document DE 197 52068 is equipped with a windshield frame and a rollover bar system whichhas two individual rollover bars which extend transversely to thelongitudinal direction of the vehicle and are arranged at a distancefrom one another. A roof covers an area from the windshield frame to therollover bar system, the roof being movable from a closed position intoa lowered position and vice-versa.

German Patent Document DE 198 25 651 C2 discloses a motor vehicle withan openable top, in the case of which a protective wall of glass isprovided between the seats and a rollover bar arrangement mounted on avehicle body. The top comprises a roof which covers a vehicle occupantcompartment of the motor vehicle from the direction of a windshield andcan be moved from a covering position into an open position andvice-versa.

From German Publication DE-AUTOFOCUS, September/October 2002, Page 33, asports car of a coupe type is known whose roof comprises two lateralconvex curvatures extending in the longitudinal direction of thevehicle, between which a concave indentation extends. This roofconstruction is called a double bubble (=double dome).

It is an object of the invention to provide a body of a passenger carhaving a windshield frame, a rigid rollover bar system and a removableroof which follows defined shape definitions of the windshield frame aswell as of the rollover bar system and, while the roof height isrelatively low, along a longitudinal center plane in the lateral areas,offers an acceptable headroom to the occupants.

However, in this case, the roof should also have a high stability and alow weight.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a body for amotor vehicle having a windshield frame, a rollover bar system and adimensionally stable removable roof which covers an area between thewindshield frame and the rollover bar system, the roof on one sidefollowing a convex shaping course of the windshield frame and, on theother side, following a shaping course of the rollover bar system,therefore defining a shaped structure such that, viewed in thelongitudinal direction of the vehicle, the roof has two lateral roofsections and a center roof section which extends between the lateralroof sections in the manner of a crease-type indentation means of thecharacteristics of Claim 1. Additional characteristics furtherdeveloping the invention are contained in the subclaims. Additionalembodiments will be apparent from the following descriptions.

The principal advantages achieved by means of the invention are that thevehicle body has a removable roof which spans a vehicle occupantcompartment between a windshield frame and a rollover bar system andwhich is adapted to the defined, mutually deviating dimensions of thevehicle frame and of the rollover bar system which not only facilitatesthe largely free design of the latter but also has a particularlyaesthetic effect as a result of the exterior shape of the roof. This ispromoted in that, in the cross-sectional view of the roof, in a centerarea between the windshield frame and the rollover system, lateral roofsections are constructed as curvatures and the center roof section isconstructed as a plane situated in-between. As a result of the lateralroof sections or curvatures, the vehicle occupants' headroom can also beoptimized in the case of a passenger car of the sports car category. Therollover system comprises individual rollover bars which, for achievinga targeted stability, are supported on mutually facing legs by means ofa cross member, in which case, the center roof section extends alongthis cross member, and the lateral roof sections of the roof extend overpartial areas of the individual rollover bars, whereby a constructionalcompactness of the vehicle body is achieved. Finally, viewing panes madeof glass can be inserted in a simple manner into openings bounding theindividual rollover bars or the cross members as well as the body walls.

The drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention which will beexplained in detail in the following. Other objects, advantages andnovel features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the invention when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a passenger car with the vehicle body accordingto an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagonal an oblique view of the passenger car of FIG. 1 fromthe left front;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the passenger car of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the passenger car of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along Line V—V of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A passenger car 1 of the sports car type comprises a vehicle body 2having a windshield frame 3 and a rollover bar system 4. A removableroof 5 covers a vehicle occupant compartment 6 and is held in positionon the windshield frame 3 and on the rollover bar system 4 by means ofsuitable fastening devices. The roof 5, which can be accommodated in astorage space—not shown—of the passenger car 1, consists of two roofelements 7 and 8 fitted together in a longitudinal center plane A—A ofthe passenger car 1, in which case each dimensionally stable roofelement consists, for example, of a light-weight but high-strengthmaterial, for example, a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic material.

The windshield frame 3 is provided with a transverse frame 9 facing theroof 5 which, in a frontal view of the passenger car—shown in FIG.3,—has a dimensional line 10 of a convex shape Fkx which is followed bya forward roof line 11 of the roof 5. Adjacent to the roof 5, therollover bar system 4 has a transverse part 12 which—in a rear view ofthe passenger car—shown in FIG. 4—has two outer convexly shaped sections13 and 14 as well as a central concavely shaped section 15, which shapedsections 13, 14 and 15 form a shaping course Fkx/kv. A rearward roofline 16 of the roof 5 is adapted to this shaping course Fkx/kv. Viewedin the longitudinal direction B—B of the vehicle, the roof 5 has twolateral roof sections 17 and 18 and a center roof section 19 which, inthe manner of a crease-type indentation 20 shaped in the direction ofthe vehicle occupant compartment 6, extends between the lateral roofsections 17 and 18. The indentation 20 has a depth 21 which uniformlyincreases from the rollover bar system 4 in the driving direction.

According to the cross-sectional view of the roof 5 of FIG. 5, thelateral roof sections 17 and 18 are constructed as curvatures WI and WIIin an area Bm—(shown in FIG. 1)—between the windshield frame 3 and therollover bar system 4. In contrast, the center roof section 19 isillustrated as a plane E, in which case, in the top view of the roof5—FIG. 1—visible contour lines 22 and 23 are provided between thelateral roof sections 17 and 18 and the center roof section 19respectively, which contour lines 22 and 23 extend in the longitudinaldirect B—B of the vehicle. In the this embodiment, the contour lines 22and 23 are aligned parallel to the longitudinal center plane A—A.However, another course of the contour lines 22 and 23 with respect toone another is also conceivable, for example, a conical course.

The rollover bar system 4 comprises two individual rollover bars 24 and25 which are arranged in a mutually spaced manner transversely to thelongitudinal direction B—B of the vehicle, which individual rolloverbars 24 and 25 have upright legs 26 and 27, 28 and 29—as shown in FIG.4—. The legs 26 and 27 as well as 28 and 29, which extend conically inthe direction of the vehicle body 2, lead into arc-type webs 30 and 31.The mutually facing legs 26 and 28 are supported by means of ahorizontally aligned cross member 32 of the rollover bar system 4, onwhich the center roof section 19 rests. The individual rollover bars 24and 25 as well as the cross member 32 consist of a high-strengthmaterial, such as a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic material—CFK—, andare integrated in a vehicle body structure 33 made of the same materialor plastic material. Finally, the individual rollover bars 24 and 25,the cross members 32 and the vehicle body walls 34, 35 and 36 boundtrapezoidal openings 37, 38 and 39 into which the viewing panes 40, 41and 42 made of glass are inserted.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate theinvention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of thedisclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of theinvention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention shouldbe construed to include everything within the scope of the appendedclaims and equivalents thereof.

1. Body for a motor vehicle, having a windshield frame, a rollover barsystem and a dimensionally stable removable roof which covers an areabetween the windshield frame and the rollover bar system, wherein theroof, on the one side, follows a convex shaping course of the windshieldframe and, on the other side, follows a shaping course of the rolloverbar system, which shaping course includes convexly shaped sections and aconcavely shaped section and defines a shaped structure such that,viewed in the longitudinal direction of the passenger car, the roof, atleast in areas, has two lateral roof sections and a center roof sectionwhich extends between the lateral roof sections in the manner of acrease-type indentation shaped in the direction of the vehicle occupantcompartment.
 2. Body according to claim 1, wherein, in a cross-sectionalview of the roof, the lateral roof sections between the windshield frameand the rollover bar system are constructed as curvatures, and thecenter roof section is constructed as a plane situated in-between. 3.Body according to claim 2, wherein, in the top view of the roof, visiblecontour lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle areprovided between the lateral roof sections and the center roof section.4. Body according to claim 1, wherein the indentation increasescontinuously between the windshield frame and the rollover bar system.5. Body according to claim 2, wherein the indentation increasescontinuously between the windshield frame and the rollover bar system.6. Body according to claim 1, wherein the rollover bar system has twoindividual rollover bars which are spaced in the transverse direction ofthe vehicle and have upright legs, mutually facing legs of theindividual rollover bars are supported by means of a cross member, andthe center roof section of the roof extends along the cross member. 7.Body according to claim 6, wherein the individual rollover bars, thecross member and vehicle body walls bound openings, into which viewingpanes are inserted.
 8. Body according to claim 6, wherein the individualrollover bars and the cross member consist of a high-strength material.9. Body according to claim 8, wherein the high strength material is acarbon-fiber-reinforced plastic material.
 10. Body according to claim 8,wherein the individual rollover bars and the cross member are integratedinto a vehicle body structure which consists of a high-strengthmaterial.
 11. Body according to claim 10, wherein the high strengthmaterial is a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic material.
 12. Bodyaccording to claim 1, wherein the roof includes two roof elements fittedtogether in a longitudinal center plane of the passenger car.
 13. Bodyaccording to claim 12, wherein each roof element consists of ahigh-strength material.
 14. Body according to claim 13, wherein the highstrength material is a glass-fiber-reinforced plastic material.
 15. Abody for a motor vehicle having a windshield frame, and rollover barsystem, comprising: a removable roof which covers an area between thewindshield frame and the rollover bar system, wherein the roof isdimensionally stable, a front edge of the roof follows a contour of thewindshield frame, a rear edge of the roof follows a contour of therollover bar system, wherein the rollover bar system contour includesconvexly shaped sections and a concavely shaped section, and at least arear portion of the roof has two lateral roof sections and a centerindented roof section extending between the lateral roof sections. 16.The body of claim 15, wherein the lateral roof sections are curved, andthe center roof section is a plane.
 17. The body of claims 16, whereinvisible contour lines extending in the longitudinal direction of thevehicle are provided between the lateral roof sections and the centerroof section.
 18. The body of claim 15, wherein the indentation of thecenter roof section increases continuously between the windshield frameand the rollover bar system.
 19. The body of claim 16, wherein theindentation of the center roof section increases continuously betweenthe windshield frame and the rollover bar system.
 20. The body of claim15, wherein the rollover bar system has two individual rollover barswhich are spaced in the transverse direction of the vehicle and haveupright legs, the upright legs of the individual rollover bars aresupported by a cross member, and the center roof section extends alongthe cross member.
 21. The body of claim 20, wherein the individualrollover bars are located over at least one vehicle body wall, furthercomprising: viewing panes located within openings defined by theindividual rollover bars, the cross member and the at least one vehiclebody wall.
 22. The body of claim 20, wherein wherein the individualrollover bars and the cross member are formed from a high-strengthmaterial.
 23. The body of claim 21, wherein the high-strength materialis a carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic material.
 24. The body of claim 21,wherein the individual rollover bars and the cross member are integratedinto a vehicle body structure formed from a high-strength material. 25.The body of claim 24, wherein the high-strength material is acarbon-fiber-reinforced plastic material.
 26. The body of claim 15,wherein the roof includes two roof elements fitted together in alongitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle.
 27. The body of claim26, wherein each roof element is formed from a high-strength material.28. The body of claim 27, wherein the high strength material is aglass-fiber-reinforced plastic material.